Dancing.

  Pforzheim, 17th September 2022 Upon reading a paragraph on biases in Wolcott's book, I decided to look into biases  a little bit more, as I realized I had no real awareness of them. According to Wolcott, it is important to identify good "biases" (such as careers, personalities, and situations), as they constitute the essential starting  place for our own research. To articulate on that, I can say that I am: 1. A professional dancer researching  the professional and pre-professional dance world, so I cannot really step into the role of the "outsider". 2. I have a very extroverted and empathic personality, which could get me a little more involved in the topic than what is normally expected by a "detached researcher". 3. I am coming out of two injuries, and I have been super lucky to be in somewhat of an "ideal" condition for my injury recovery. I have to be aware that this is not the case for everyone, and that the support I received is NO...

  Pforzheim, 10th September 2022 I just finished reading Wolcott's Context as an Observer Guide , and I believe it could be the perfect framework for my reflective essay. I hope I can use it. The reason why I am so drawn to it, is that it provides guidelines to highlight PAST-PRESENT & FUTURE contexts (a.k.a. limitations...). They are a blessing in disguise for a research project. They provide structure & guidance... and are the limits through which we learn and grow... Past - How did the existing literature inform and limit me? How did the context in which I am studying (Dance Technique Pedagogy) influence the gaze through which I observe the topic? Present - Practical problems linked to my current predicament. How does the amount of time limit & guide my study? How does my inability to be in three different places at the same time influence the choices I have to make in this research project? Future - How does the awareness, of the formats in which I have to present ...

  Pforzheim, September 8th 2022   'Learning - in the   broad enculturative sense of coming to understand what one needs to know to be competent in the roles one may expect to fulfill in society [...] is an ongoing process in which each human engages throughout a lifetime. In Brad's case, the direction that process was taking seemed to reflect all too well what he felt society expected of him: Nothing.'  (Wolcott 1994) Wow...this quote shocked me...but it is somewhat true. In a minor way, I feel like I experienced something similar, and I have enough of a grasp of what it means to feel that way to be able to start relating to it. As a dancer in a company, when you feel like no one expects something of you, you feel worthless. You start questioning everything and often make questionable choices to try to fix things (e.g. starving yourself thinking they don't like you because you are too big, or overtraining in your free time because they make you feel like yo...